


I Can Help You Heal

by PrincesaPetalito



Category: Blue's Clues, Blue's Clues & You
Genre: Brother/Brother Incest, Depression, Fluff and Angst, Incest, Joe and Josh are cousins but they don't know in this, Likely cousin incest, M/M, Sibling Incest, suicidal character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24701794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincesaPetalito/pseuds/PrincesaPetalito
Summary: Steve was rumored dead for ten years,now that he's back he's not sure how Joe and Blue will react to seeing him again after so long.Do they still recognize him?Do they still love him?What happens if they moved on from him?
Relationships: Joe/Josh, Steve/Joe
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. The Unexpected Return

**Author's Note:**

> This idea obviously came to me when I found out Steve Burns was rumored dead for years,I couldn't help but picture how his reunion with Joe and Blue would play out.
> 
> I did my "research" a little better on this one,watched some old episodes with Steve and Joe separately,also 3 of the episodes they have together as well leading up to Steve going to College. 
> 
> Watched most of what I could find on the actors,Steve is a precious human bean who should be protected at all costs,I just feel like hugging him tight and kissing his lil bald head,we love you Steve!
> 
> I studied their personalities on and outside the show and spent a lot more time on this than I originally intended,I didn't grow up with these guys and I am JUST getting to know them right now (all thanks to my massive crush on Josh that led me to want to know more about the show altogether).
> 
> All three of the hosts are insanely talented,humble,funny,charismatic,wonderful people whom have been bringing so much comfort and warmth to my heart and it was exactly what I've been needing these days.
> 
> So here we are.
> 
> It's shippy,heavily implied that Steve and Joe were in a relationship before being set apart.
> 
> Steve is now 35,Joe is 30,Josh is 23,all my stories involving them are supposed to lead to the three getting together,they are all consenting adults and it's probably one of my most vanilla ships but they're so adorable together I couldn't resist.
> 
> Don't like it,you can just turn away and read something else (not from me,probably).
> 
> If you're in for some sweet reunion angst between Iconic childhood figures,you can go on.

Steve's hands were terribly trembling,the seasoned detective wasn't sure if it was due to the cold air of the night or his own ever raging nerves.

Most definitely both.

The mysterious looking man in a large brown trenchcoat,silly fedora and sunglasses over regular thick framed glasses took one step closer to the humble house his little brother Joe is,apparently,still currently living in.

The short musician's entire body shivered as a chilling rush of the wind ran by him,making him clutch the large coat tight around his rather small frame,gripping even tighter to Horace as well,his loyal,stuffed,orange anteater he found on an old suitcase while hunting for more clues relating to his past.

Even with only the moonlight to guide him,it was terrifying how familiar this place really was,he still knew _every_ single corner.

Steve dared to keep walking forward,still holding Horace impossibly tight to his chest,his thick framed glasses getting slightly foggy as his heart pounded faster and his breath got more labored,the talented musician reluctantly took the sunglasses off,putting them on one of his coat pockets.

He looked so good with them but right now there was no one around to see him anyway and they heat up too much.

Surprisingly that considering the dire circunstances,obstacles along the way and the obvious changes overtime,still there was no way he wouldn't know his way back home.

His way back to his ' _little_ ' Joe.

Except Steve _did not_ know,for a very long time as a matter of fact,10 years to be more precise.

After a nasty car accident that made the bald detective lose his memory (and everyone who used to know him rumor him dead),it took the short man finally taking on a case where he needed to go back to his hometowm (that he didn't _remember_ was his hometowm) to investigate further,for flashbacks of his past to finally find their way back to the surface of his busy mind.

And the first memories that came back to him were the amazing times he had here in this very neighborhood with his parents,Blue,Magenta,Periwinkle and friends....

And _his Joe_.

Steve swallowed dry a lump on his throat as he stood in front of the door to the house that once also belonged to him,all shaking limbs and sweaty palms,fidgeting restlessly with Horace's worn out fur.

If he got his information right,everyone he used to know and love thinks he's long gone by now... How will they react? Would they take him back? He definitely doesn't look the same as he did ten years ago....

The bald detective fished out from one of his coat pockets an old,dusted polaroid picture he found on that very same suitcase that also contained his stuffies,old letters,cards and many other pictures.

This one had a very young him,Joe and puppy sized Blue and Magenta all smiling happily to the camera,Steve quickly put the picture back aside as it was starting to bring resentful tears to the corners of his bright eyes.

 _Them_ ,this is his _real_ family.

Yet it all does bring many other questions to Steve's ever racing mind.Will Blue even recognize him? Or his smell? Is she even still _ALIVE_?! She was his loyal best friend for so long......

There is really only one way to find out and it's not just standing in front of your old house clinging to your plushie in the middle of a chilly wednesday night that will do it.

Steve fixed his hat in place for the hundreth time,anxiously biting his bottom lip and fumbling with the buttons of his coat with a free hand,coming to the conclusion that it was just too late into the night to knock on the door or ring the doorbell and bother his precious baby brother.

What would he tell Joe anyway? 'Hey,look! I disappeared for 10 years but now I'm back! I'm alive by the way,also I have no more hair!'

Steve downright scoffed as he kicked a pebble on his way to the nearest window of Joe's house.

This isn't his _home_ anymore,Blue won't recognize him anymore,Joe isn't _his_ Joe anymore,he very likely belongs to someone else now.

Someone whom hopefully is taking much better care of him than Steve himself ever did.

Steve left Joe alone with Blue when they needed him most,that's what he did.

The talented musician sighed heavily,shoulders slumped,hold on Horace loosening slightly,bright caramel eyes still stinging and moist with emotion.

He didn't want to cry over any of this again,he already did enough of that for a lifetime in the past few days.

It wouldn't hurt to get a closer look though,just to see what the brunet,younger man looked like now,finish the investigation he was in town for and be on his way back.

Joe would be none the wiser.

* * *

Slowly,trying to make sure he didn't make a single sound,Steve opened the window to what he supposed was Joe's room,he noticed right away it wasn't the same room as the younger man used to sleep in before,this was actually _Steve's_ own old bedroom,the short man was incredibly surprised to realize this fact as he meticulously looked around,setting Horace safely on a kid-sized Thinking Chair nearby.

Steve and Joe spent so many nights together in this very bedroom,it really had felt like the place was already half Joe's long before Steve left to 'never' come back.

The seasoned detective carefully observed the large lump under the blue covers,moving around and grumbling in their sleep as the cold air from outside hit their warm body,the bald musician was quick to tip-toe back to the window and silently close it behind him,earning a satisfied noise from the figure on the bed.

Steve couldn't help the small grin creeping up at the corners of his lips,showing off adorable dimples,he still looked so charming and handsome himself even without any hair on his head and his features showing signs of age way too early in life for his own liking.

He can only hope Joe still loves him the same.

Because,god forbid,he doesn't like himself very much right now.

Steve cautiously pulled the covers over his baby brother down to his lean torso,the older of the two was immediately surprised to find rather long,beautiful wavy curls in place of Joe's usual short hair,even completely disheveled,they looked flawless to the seasoned detective.

Joe moved sluggishly in place,holding protectively to his big,stuffed,yellow duck Boris,a mindful gift from Steve when they were much younger,the bald singer's eyes welled up against his own will once again upon realizing his baby brother still had him after all these years (and in much better shape than his own Horace as well).

The taller man mumbled something incoherent,eyes still closed,kicking his bare feet out in the open,pulling the blue covers and Boris ever closer to his chest,Steve took an alerted step back,trying to stay out of view,an anxious,frantic hand tapping over his mouth.

From this angle,it was easier to take a good look at Joe's long,pretty face,it looked thinner than Steve remembers,with a much sharper jawline now yet the boy's cheeks still had some stubborn chub to them that he absolutely adored,the younger man also sported a scruffy beard that made the older musician get very tempted to know how it must feel against his restless,eager fingertips.

Without really thinking about it,the bald singer reached a hand out to touch delicately under Joe's stubbed chin,pleased to feel the scruffy surface scratching against his clammy palm.

Joe murmured in his sleep as he reached a hand up,letting go of Boris without realizing and grabbing Steve's own hand,squeezing it and massaging it rather affectionately,this time the handsome brunet's mumbling was more clear while the shorter of the two looked horrified at the idea of being caught,free hand over his own mouth,close to biting his short nails in pure,raw anguish.

"Joooosh,it's too earlyyy.... Gimme 5 more minutes,mkay? I bet not even Blue is up yet..."

Steve's bright eyes were nearly bulging out of it's sockets as Joe used his other hand that wasn't holding Steve's to rub the sleep off of his eyes,Boris falling off of the bed making a loud 'quack' sound,stirring the younger man awake even more wasn't helping.

The detective's breath hitched in his throat,eyes still open wide under his glasses,he missed those vibrant,ocean orbs as badly as he would naturally miss water in the middle of a desert.

But now he wasn't sure he _wanted_ Joe to open his eyes and see him at last,Steve definitely wasn't this 'Josh' fellow his little brother was hoping for.

Steve tried not so subtlely to pull his hand away when Joe turned on his side,agitatedly feeling around,seemingly in search for Boris,still holding on to Steve's hand like a vice,if the older of the two was a pile of nerves before, _now_ he feels like he's going to die on the spot if Joe doesn't let go very soon.

"Mmmm Josh,could you please fetch Boris for me? I swear I'll compensate by preparing your favorite toast later......Wait,how come your hand feels so cold?!" Joe groaned lowly in his sleep,nearly pulling Steve on the bed alongside him by sheer force and the short musician shrieked Joe's name involutarily at the sudden,umprompted action.

Joe immediately opened one sleepy,suspiscious blue eye at the sound that definítely didn’t belong to Josh and Steve unquestionably looked paler than a ghost right now.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?????????!!!!!!!! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!!!"

Steve found himself jumping back at the sudden (somehow unexpected) outburst....

... Yeah,unfortunately,the charming,bald detective apparently didn't look or sound like that Josh person at all so Joe's reaction was just as one would anticipate.

Joe had quickly scrambled to his feet,clad in an adorably large purple sweater with lined squares on it and manilla sweatpants,instantly picking up Boris off of the carpeted floor and tucking him safely away under the covers where (supposedly) no harm could get to him.

He looked around wildly for anything surrounding the messy bedroom he could use to defend himself as Steve simply stared ahead,motionless at the tall,gorgeous beauty his baby brother had become,trembling hands in front of himself as if he could 'explain' any of this to the startled,handsome man.

Loud thuds could now be heard from the door to Joe's room along with loud barks and babbles,the frightened,talented brunet couldn't help but smile fondly at that,so did Steve at the exact same time,two pairs of bright eyes glistening in the moonlight for the pet who is as family to them as they are to each other.

"Blue!" the siblings whispered to themselves in unison,Steve clapping his hands together,the younger of the two leaning against the wall behind him defensively.

Joe moved carefully to open the door,barely daring to even so much as glance in his big brother's direction,letting Blue in,confident she would 'take care' of the strange Invader,Steve took several steps back,both quavering hands now over his mouth,he wasn't really sure what to expect but _somehow_ it wasn't this.

A large,fluffy blue dog jumped Steve excitedly,dropping the short man to the ground and licking all over his face,he had no choice but to take his dirty hat and fogged glasses off.

He found himself laughing like he hasn't done in years,squirming playfully in place at Blue's antics,she recognizes him!!!!! She still knows who he is!!!!! Blue still _loves_ him!!!!

An extremely bewildered Joe turned on the lights,thick eyebrows furrowed and steps still cautious as a grinning Steve and a beyond thrilled Blue sat up on the floor,the musician holding her to himself tightly,she felt so warm and comforting,her rich fur tickling against his pale skin,she was exactly what he needed at this moment.

Steve missed Blue so much,she is _huge_ now,Joe has taken good care of her from the looks of it.

The bald detective always knew Joe was capable to,there wasn't a single day the enthusiastic,talented younger man didn't make his big brother proud.

It didn't look like it would be any different now.

"Who...are.....you?" Joe queried almost in a whisper,still wary of the completely inoffensive man before him,Steve only offered him a rather shy,tired,apologetic smile,Blue reluctantly let go of their loving embrace to pull a still very hesitant Joe towards his older brother.

He showed resistance but it was weakening by the second,the handsome man was more intrigued than anything by now.

"H-how do...How do you know Blue? What a-are you doing here?" Joe stammered through his words,wary of getting much closer,he trusted Blue's judgement yet it didn't stop his body from shuddering from head to toe because there's a strange,short,bald man sitting on the floor of his bedroom in the middle of the night.

Whom Blue just so happens to be extremely friendly with for some reason.

"Joey... I know it will probably be a little hard to believe it but.... This is me, _Steve_! Your brother." the seasoned detective declared plainly in his characteristic,endearing monotone,nervous smile wavering around the older man's lips,soft voice echoing inside both Joe and Blue's heads.

She already had no doubt in her mind that it was him anyway so as if on cue,Blue jumped the man yet again but this time he tried to keep his balance a little better,laughing softly,deliciously all the way and snuggling even more into her,ultimately using her to help him stand back up to face his brother.

Joe had an incredulous look on his handsome features,shaking his head vigorously,messy curls falling over his forehead as he crossed his arms over his muscled chest,the man in front of him literally sounded exactly the same and was definitely as short as _his_ _own_ Steve used to be but this just simply _can't_ be.

His Steve is _dead_.

"You can't be Steve, _my_ Steve is dead,let go of this man,Blue,please,he might be dangerous." Joe declared with determination,ocean blue eyes full of faux fire,he was failing miserably at convincing even himself that this situation was impossible,the taller man have never even had the chance to make a funeral or even mourn his older brother properly.

Perhaps that was the main reason why he was never able to truly let Steve go.

Never truly find peace.

He had moved on with his life,had found someone incredibly amazing to share it with whose made him feel truly happy again after so long yet deep inside,he somehow always hoped that his big brother (and the love of his life) was still out there,looking for him or waiting to be found.

Except this type of childish hope should have definitely died down after these ten long years.

It never really did.

Blue didn't move from her spot one inch,tangled with Steve for life,if anything,she babbled defensively against _Joe_.

She couldn't believe he just couldn't tell this was indeed _their_ Steve.

The very person she always knew would come back home to them one day,no matter how long it took,no matter how many times Joe had insistently told her that he wasn't going to,that he was gone forever.

She always knew Joe was wrong and only had been in denial all these years.

Steve knew his baby brother was still scared but trusted Blue blindly,which is most likely what had kept the taller man from doing anything drastic against him yet.

The bald detective motioned quietly for Blue to let go of him and give the two brothers some space,she obediently did as told,skipping happily away but not before pushing both of them,making the siblings bump awkwardly against one another before she ran out of the room.

Her Steve was back and all was right with the world again,that empty void in her heart was finally filled again,she couldn't wait for him to meet Josh as well,Steve is going to _love_ him just as much as she and Joe do!

"Joe,if you give me a chance,I can explain everything I know, _please_ ,I'm _your_ Steve,you need to believe me... even _Blue_ knew me,you know you can't argue with that." the older musician pleaded with his little brother in his soft spoken manner,face mostly stoic except for the tears threatening to fall off of his lovely caramel orbs yet again,but he held back,he hated to be this emotional sometimes and look weak in front of the younger man but in times like this,he simply couldn't help it.

Joe's expression seemed to be softening slightly around his sharp edges as he stepped closer,searching around for something,Steve was feeling rather confused,brows knitted together until he felt a napkin rubbing cautiously,smoothly against his face,cleaning him up slowly,affectionately...

 _Caring_.

The taller of the two seemed to be utilizing this as an excuse as he used his left hand to clean away Blue's drool and examine Steve's face,taking his sweet _sweet_ time tracing every single terrifyingly familiar feature of the older man's.

Round cheeks and large,pointed nose like his own,bright eyes a very distinct,light and warm shade of brown,charming dimples when he smiles....

But this just _couldn't_ be,it should be impossible.

"You can't be Steve,my Steve is dead." Joe repeated mostly to himself than anything this time,barely above a whisper while the shorter man gazed up at him with earnest,devoted,pleading doe eyes.

He still couldn't believe he was genuinely able to forget his _family_ ,forget Blue,forget his Joe who adored him,looked up to him.

 _Loved_ him despite it all.

Joe let the napkin fall carelessly to the ground as realization was slowly settling in,his knees buckling,falling along as he covered his face with both hands,starting to openly sob.

That reaction deeply concerned Steve to his core,who knelt to the ground alongside his baby brother,desperate hands on both the younger's lean shoulders,trying to reassure him somehow that everything would be okay.

"This is a dream or a hallucination,I don't know... It _needs_ to stop,I don't know how much more of this I can take,Stevie... it's been ten years,you need to go _away_ ,need to leave me alone..... Or else I'll never heal...." Joe rambled on as he cried on Steve's shoulder,his taller frame rocking with violent sobs and whimpers that deeply broke Steve's heart.

The short detective stiffly rubbed the younger man's large back with one hand and tangled his fingers's on Joe's silky curls with the other,it finally dawned on him how much pain he really caused,even if the accident wasn't his fault,he still felt like he should have done _something_ ,anything to get back to his Joe sooner and avoid so much pain and suffering.

"I'm as real as they come,Joe.And if you allow me to,I can help you heal." said Steve gently on the brunet man's ear,genuinely meaning it and despite his usual monotone and severe lack of expression most times,Joe was always able to tell his older brother's emotions as if he was wearing them on his sleeve.

Steve had made a completely new life for himself several towns over,far away from here with a completely different name and everything,he had started a band,had opened the Blue Prints Detective Agency,business was going really well,even if he's far from being the best detective in the world (Joe doesn't need to know _that_ part).

Yet when he found himself staring back into Joe's bright,moistened eyes again,none of that seemed to matter anymore.

Steve traced his fingers lightly alongside the sharp curve of Joe's long face,wiping the younger's tears away and feeling his stubble tickle pleasantly against the bald man's skin,caramel brown orbs against ocean blue,never once losing sight of one another as their faces inevitably got closer,Blue still on the doorway,attentive to her owners' every single move,ecstastic to witness their much anticipated reunion.

Ever since Steve left,she always dreamed of this day and it was finally here.

"I missed you so much,Stevie....promise me you will never leave me like this again." Joe implored meekly,both hands shaking yet gripping firmly to the collar of Steve's trenchcoat,their faces so close to each other,the short musician could feel Joe's hot breath against his own heated skin,he had no other course of action,what Steve did next felt only natural.

"I promise,Joey.... I love you so, _so_ much,more than anything." the seasoned detective whispered tenderly,removing one hand from the other's back,using it to cup one of Joe's damp,chubby cheeks,massaging it lovingly with his thumb,other hand falling to grasp behind the younger's neck,pulling the taller man's head forward into a passionate kiss.

Blue cheered from the doorway,jumping in place,nothing else had felt as right as this,she needed to tell Magenta and Periwinkle right away,this is the happiest day of her life!

Joe moaned in pleasant surprise against Steve's eager mouth,grip on the other's collar loosening slightly,both of them closing their eyes instinctively as the older of the two pressed his tongue against the other man's lips,gently requesting entrance,which Joe obliged almost involuntarily.

At this point in time,there was nothing else on his mind except for the unmistakable taste on his lips that was so distinctively Steve's as the older man explored every single corner of his brother's mouth like a starving beast.

Steve finally felt at home and now Joe knew for sure this _is_ really him.

And the empty void in both of their longing hearts was fulfilled at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's cute that Steve called his Detective Agency "Blue Prints" even though he 'technically' didn't remember Blue,isn't it?
> 
> I know that,technically,Steve didn't give Boris to Joe but let's pretend lol


	2. Aquamarine (The Missing Piece)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While writing that first Chapter I thought I was done with this story,oh how much of a fool I was.
> 
> Also Joe is going to show up in 'Bluestock 2.0' and I am hype personified,if you ask me,he and Josh could host the entire show together,like seriously,Steve picked his boys way too well 🤣

"It's almost done,Blue!!! I'm so excited!!!! Joe is going to love this...I can't wait to see him try everything we've made!" a very characteristically cheerful Josh skipped in place in front of the oven,large smile brightening his entire face,sheer joy plastered all over his beyond handsome features,clapping his oven mitt-covered hands together in front of his mouth in antecipation for his extra special homemade brownies to finally be ready.

Blue merely babbled on beside him,jumping all over the place,shaking her head and rolling her eyes fondly in pure amusement,Josh was undeniably adorable as always,she loves him deeply and welcomed him to their rather small family almost immediately,still it never hurt to have a little fun at his expense,just like she usually does with Joe and Steve.

They had started their morning early by playing a very challenging game of Blue's Clues at the frontyard which led to Josh finally putting the clues together and finding out what Blue wanted to do today.

She wanted to make a big Surprise Picnic to cheer up Joe.

So naturally they spent the remainer of their morning preparing super special snacks to surprise Joe during his lunch break.

Both Josh and Blue felt pretty exhausted already but the day was far,far from over.

If Blue is truly honest to herself,she's having a hard time understanding what's really been happening around her ever since Steve 'theoretically' came back home the other night,all he's been doing after his reunion with Joe is stay hidden and spy on both his little brother and Josh from a safe distance,Joe has been eerily quiet lately and even said No to playing with Blue once or twice already and Josh......is really just trying to hold himself and things together amongst it all since Joe apparently,refuses to tell his boyfriend a single word about his older brother finally coming back home.

Humans are so complicated.

Also Blue has absolutely no idea as to why Steve as well won't just..... _leave_ the shadows at last, _talk_ to Joe again and _finally_ introduce himself to Josh so all of them can be the little happy family they were always meant to be from the start.

Doesn't Steve realize he's their _missing piece_?

A 'Ding!' sound was heard loud and clear all throughout the messy kitchen and Josh anxiously chewed on his plump bottom lip as he instantly albeit rather clumsily went for the defying task of taking the sweet,freshly baked treats out of the oven,he _loved_ to cook but it was always an 'insignificant' little hobby for him and never his main focus,even with Joe telling him with a bright,proud smile on his face and sparkling ocean eyes that Josh only got better at it and outdid himself every single time.

Josh usually felt the sneaking urge to argue that it wasn't that big of a deal and besides,it wasn't _that_ hard to please Joe to begin with,the simple things were usually enough to make the man happy but Josh would always get a solid kick of 'confidence' to the shin by a certain blue colored dog for it.

Believe it or not,a 'boost' of confidence _will_ hurt sometimes.

She knows her Joe and she knows her Josh.

Joe _does_ indeed love the simple things in life the most but they need to have a real,personal,deeper meaning,they need to come straight from the heart to be truly special.

Josh is too _humble_ and modest to admit it but he's genuinely amazing at everything he sets his mind to,everything he puts his heart into,he never,ever gives up.

And this time is no different.

This particular recipe was 'new',or at least,it was the first time Josh was trying it,first time making brownies from scratch instead of out of a box,his lola had very patiently taught him over the phone after his last conversation with her late last night.

Josh had told her his deep concerns over Joe,the older brunet has been acting 'strange' and very distant the past few days,he has been way too quiet and reserved,barely speaking a word,always alert,seeming to peer around as if something was following or observing his every step,aside from consequently not exactly being his usual cheerful,extremely likeable,very friendly self towards his customers and friends at the Present Store,if anything he's somehow scaring them away one by one.

All of that behavior has obviously been deeply worrying Josh (and Blue).

So the young,tall,aspiring actor reluctantly voiced the very real fears he had of his beloved partner falling back into profound depression.

Josh and Blue had gone through very hard times during those days,Josh was so young too,newly 18,fresh out of high school and completely inexperienced dealing with any matters of the sort, _nothing_ could have possibly ever prepared him to the way he met Steve's baby brother.

Blue was sadly being almost completely neglected by Joe at the time,she was just unable to get his attention for anything anymore and that greatly concerned her,he wouldn't eat,thus wouldn't feed her,he wouldn't play anymore,not even with Boris,even less her and Magenta,his bright eyes didn't shine like they used to and he didn't smile anymore.

He stayed wide awake and restless for several days on end and nothing seemed to help ease his troubled mind and heavy heart.

Blue still didn't know where Steve was or when he would be back,she couldn't lose Joe in the meantime as well.

It wasn't just Joe that was supposed to care for her, _both_ of them were supposed to care for each other,that's the deal when you're part of a family,especially a loving one such as theirs.

So she turned to Josh,nearly out of desperation by that point really,all her closer friends were starting to dislike Joe more and more as time went on for 'abandoning' Blue and making her pretty much turn into a 'street dog' with 'no owner',meanwhile to her,he had just gotten really really sick and nobody seemed to care or even notice.

Josh,on the other hand,was always smiling,always singing,always happy and eager to help just like her Joe used to be,every single day he strolled by their street with a skip to his step,a guitar craddled in his thick,broad arms and classic tunes at the tip of his plump,brown sugar lips.

Because of Blue,the young Filipino ended up facing the biggest challenge of his entire life that very fateful day.

Blue had desperately run to Josh,pulling him by his ratted blue jeans towards her small,yellow house,at first he was extremely hesitant to get inside (wasn't he technically invading property?) but Blue started barking much louder,pulling even harder at his worn out clothes yet without ever biting him.

So the young,handsome,aspiring actor had no choice but to follow her wherever she took him,she had an urgency to her eyes and her movements that could only mean something was very, _very_ wrong.

Inside the house that looked much smaller from the outside,he entered a random room right after Blue and his anxious,dark brown eyes grew instantly wide,jaw going completely slack,a naturally tanned hand over his mouth muffling a soft,shocked gasp.

An undeniably attractive young man with fair skin and light brown hair who looked to be in his mid-20s was hanging from the ceiling fan by many strong,colorful ribbons,body completely limp,he didn't seem to be breathing anymore,Blue started barking and whimpering loudly as she helplessly pawed at the man's unresponsive,hanging feet.

Maybe she was too late.

She never held any grudges against him for 'abandoning' her,a few days ago he had left her at Magenta and Miranda's place,claiming he would be gone for a while even though Steve had very clearly left him responsible for Blue and their house.

A couple of days without a single sign or word from Joe had made the large blue dog grow preoccupied and restless.

He really hasn't been 'himself' for a very long time,all Blue wanted to do was help him any way she could,even if by just simply offering company.

Josh had managed to call an ambulance with trembling voice and hands,his entire body now shaking madly as he tried to carefully pick the man off from where he was hanging by the ceiling fan that,thankfully,wasn't on.

It wasn't too late after all,it seems,and the young man was 'brought back to life',or at least..... was _breathing_ again,which was already a very welcomed improvement.

Josh and Blue were by his side the entire time,when nurses and doctors insisted that she couldn't stay,Josh held his ground by saying that she was _actually_ the one who saved that man's life.

His driver license says his name is Joseph Donovan Burns,Josh had never met him before,he had only ever seen Blue and other pets in that neighborhood,he assumes that if... Joseph was already deeply depressed to the point of attempting something like this,it made a little bit of sense that Josh had never seen him around before.

The aspiring singer thus didn't know of any close family members to call so in order to stay at the hospital with Joe,he said they were distant cousins (a statement in which even Blue had discreetly fondly scoffed at).

Blue barely knew Josh yet and she was already so attached to him,he smelled like hot cinnamon tea and a fresh autumn breeze,she could already picture a long lasting bond forming between them similar to the one she has with Joe and Steve,the aspiring young actor just had _something_ ,an _aura_ that naturally drew others to him,he was Irresistible in many ways and Blue couldn't wait for Joe to wake up and finally meet him.

Josh's smile alone would be sure to bring happiness to Joe's heart again,she had the impression he was exactly what they were needing for so long.

The weary,overworked nurse in charge somehow bought the whole cousin thing so Josh and Blue waited for hours on end with bated breath the day Joe would finally wake up from his comatose state.

It was around a week later,when Josh's warm,welcoming,dark hazel-brown orbs would meet green-ish blue,Aquamarine,like the ocean,the young Filipino singer didn't know at the time how familiar they would really turn out to be.

How fast they would become home.


End file.
